*** Official KILL BILL VOLUME 1 Discussion Thread (2 Viewers)

[Howie A]

Can anyone help explain ...

why during the fight with The Bride/Black Mamba vs. Vernita Green/Copperhead was Black Mamba's name beeped out during the conversation with the daughter?

 

[ChrisJefferys]

I saw the film today and loved it! It was definitely as good as I hoped it would be. Uma was great, the fight scenes were awesome and the film had many references to other films that were fun to catch.

The "Shawscope" intro was a very cool touch that put a smile on my face. At that point I knew I was in for a treat.

The only small negatives to me were: the style of the anime wasn't really to my taste. I think it was a cool idea, and due to some of the subject matter, I can see why Tarantino chose anime over live action for that section of the story. But, for some reason the particular animation in the film didn't look pleasing to me. Also, the part of the fight at the end that turned to b&w just didn't seem right to me. I know that it was scripted, but it still smacks of a way to get around the MPAA. I will be seeing the film next month in Japan, so I hope its true that this scene will be in colour there, because I would love to compare.

To those worried about the violence and gore, its really cartoonish actually with limbs and stumps spraying geysers of blood (looks very much like a nod to the Kazure Okami/Lone Wolf and Cub films or the Americanized version, Shogun Assassin).

The ending did not seem abrupt or wrong to me, but rather natural. I really don't want to have to wait to see part 2, but the split wasn't as bad as I thought it might be.

Anyway, this is a big love letter to the old exploitation films that we all love (well I do anyway ). Great film!

 

[David Fisher]

Howie,

The Bride's name is bleeped everytime. It won't be revealed until Vol.2 unless you've read the script.


Chris,

I do agree with one of your comments.

I didn't like the B&W scene as much as I hoped. I do like the execution, though. The film cuts to black and white when the Bride rips out one of the Crazy 88's eyeballs, literally reducing the audience to a type of singular vision. Perhaps denoting The Bride's realization that she's gonna have to go further than she has in her life in order to get out of this mess. Once she's in the relative clear, she blinks and we're back in color. It's too cool. Unfortunately, I wanted the whole scene to be in color. Hopefully a color cut might be in the DVD extras.

 

[Matt Stone]

Man I had a fun time at this film. Some quick thoughts...I agree with those who say that the end seemed natural. To me, it felt like the end of a tv episode and that's fine by me. I don't think I could have taken 90+ minutes more anyway. Great cartoonish over-the-top gore!

More thoughts later...

 

[Joseph S]

What an enjoyable two hours. Can't wait for Volume 2.

 

[Travis_W]

Awesome film...that's all I've got to say.

One thing that's bothering me:The B&W scene seems like a cop-out, perhaps the MPAA wouldn't permit it and then Quentin suggested changing the color tone...


Does anybody else think that was the reason?

 

[Kevinkall]

Also, the part of the fight at the end that turned to b&w just didn't seem right to me. I know that it was scripted, but it still smacks of a way to get around the MPAA.

I noticed upon watching a couple of the trailers that some of the scenes that were in black and white in the feature were in color in the trailers. Was it scripted? I read the script and I don't remember seeing it. Sounds like you were right, either way it was kinda cool.

 

[Kevinkall]

kinda a double post...

9. The Japanese Version Has More Blood: Despite gallons of spilled red corn syrup and dozens of sliced-off body parts, Kill Bill: Volume 1 managed an R rating. But the cut seen in Tokyo probably wouldn't. What's different? For one thing, one guts-soaked sequence--shown in cringing black-and-white in the U.S. version--will remain in vivid color.

 

[Andy Sheets]

9. The Japanese Version Has More Blood: Despite gallons of spilled red corn syrup and dozens of sliced-off body parts, Kill Bill: Volume 1 managed an R rating. But the cut seen in Tokyo probably wouldn't. What's different? For one thing, one guts-soaked sequence--shown in cringing black-and-white in the U.S. version--will remain in vivid color.

Interesting. I wonder if other things will be changed as well. In particular, the lip-biting scene felt a bit abruptly chopped to me. Someone like Takashi Miike would have shown all of it

I thought the movie was certainly up there in terms of violence but I think I'd still rank Total Recall as the most violent Hollywood production I've seen. It's just...crunchier

 

[Kevinkall]

the lip-biting scene felt a bit abruptly chopped to me. Someone like Takashi Miike would have shown all of it

Takashi Miike would have shown that WHOLE scene and the previous encounter(s) with BUCK!

 

[Patrick Sun]

I was cracking up everytime the cheesy flashback music started blaring loudly. Good stuff.

I didn't like being shown Verdita's name crossed off the list after Oren's name was already crossed off, but because we got to see her death. (Then again, you sort of expect Black Mamba to go through the list and then get to the final climax with her showdown with Bill and, of course, the use of her child as a bargaining chip).

I cracked up when Black Mamba was telling all of Oren's "army" to go, but leave their limbs behind because they now belonged to her. Man, that was just chilling stuff.

If you took the violence in this film seriously, you'd have a minor mental breakdown, I think. It was bloody, vicious, but on the most basic microscopic level, anyone who got in Black Mamba's way got what they deserved.

 

[Chuck Mayer]

Well, I know I liked it when it's been about 6 hours since it ended, and I'm still mulling it over. It's a simple straightfoward film, but it sticks with you. The mark of a excellent film. I recommend the soundtrack...QT has always had great musical taste in his films, and the soundtrack is rather eclectic.

KB is just a fun, fun film...stripped down and to the bone. I look forward to the secrets in KBII, and also to a few more Yuen Wo-Ping's scenes. Between this, Reloaded, Revolutions, and KBII, quite a nice nine month stretch for action fans.

Take care,
Chuck

 

[ChrisJefferys]

I agree, Chuck. I saw the movie 8 hours ago and I still can't get it out of my mind. That doesn't happen to me very often. And yes, QT always knows how to make great use of source music in his films, he picks just the right song for just the right moment. Glad I picked up the soundtrack CD.

 

[rich_d]

I thought the use of Bernard Herrmann's Twisted Nerve made the scene with eyepatch girl. She whistles it while going down a hallway.

btw, I don't think the song will reach Bridge over the River Kwai status or anything. But don't be shocked if you hear someone whistling the tune.

 

[David Fisher]

Here are a couple things that I didn't like about the movie:

Bill calls Ellie Driver (Darryl Hannah) right before she injects poison(?) into The Bride's IV in the hospital. I don't think that Bill would have even sent Ellie in the first place. If he did, then I think he would have let Driver finish the job.


The Bride leaves Buck's brains laying on the floor in the coma room, but she stays in his Pussy Wagon in the parking lot for thirteen hours? I don't like it. I'm sorry.


Here's something(s) positive that I've been meaning to point out.

I love the carry-on policy at Air-O airlines. I noticed that the Bride's sword is sitting next to her on the plane. On the way to Japan, I think that another passenger had a sword, too. Too cool.

I love the homage to 'Once Upon a Time in the West'. I couldn't stop laughing.

In Pulp Fiction, QT establishes Jackrabbit Slim's with a nice 360 (continuous) long-shot. Well, Kill Bill features a long-shot at the House of Blue Leaves
that had my group gasping. (This is the shot where you see The Bride behind a japanese screen twice.
Just beautiful and I can't even think about how difficult it must have been to light and shoot correctly.

 

[Tony_Ramos]

the direction was hard hitting in action places and yet subtle in other places. the film didn't feel at all like 2 hours, so I think that is a good sign of its longevity. I liked that the gore was cartoony in many places to take the edge off of the sheer violence of the film.

FYI, the non-linear style of the narrative is common to French New Wave, the other critics who turned into filimmakers that Quentin is fond of. the non-linear editing style is also very common to Japanese cinema.

of course, the soundtrack wsa excellent, and I had purchased it a week ago. it grows on you.

Sonny Chiba & Uma's scene was the best thing in the entire film. I wanted more of the legends like Liu and Chiba!!! I hope we get more of both in Vol. 2 and not just Liu.

Unfortunately, I felt this was more of a cult homage than an epic revenge tale, though maybe i'll change my mind after seeing all 4 hours. I know that's exactly what it wsa intended to be, a synthesis of cult genres into something new. But I feel the emotional weight of the revenge plot was really underplayed. We never really sympathize with the bride b/c we don't know about her past or her inner dialogue, other than the redundant exposition. I guess this is in part b/c Uma is a proxy in the story for the audience. but why couldn't we have heard more about the past between Bill, chiba, and the bride? the assassins? and why was there not more of QT's trademark dialogue? most of the characters are no more than caricatures.

Unfortunately, to me some of that violence was not always necessary to the film other than for shock factor; there are very few Japanese RONIN films or hong kong action films with that much gore. for you guys that like Miike (God save you), I'm sure you LOVED this film, but i refuse to watch any film of his, and only went to this one b/c of the cast and choreography. And why did Buck's scene have to be so dang lude, bordering on necrophilia? If ppl want to hear language like that they can watch a porno.

To sum up my feelings on the lack of tastefulness of the film, I saw a lady bringing her little kids (about age 9-10) out of a showing at the end credits and I really think I should have called HRS.

Overall it was about 4 out of 5, perhaps more if i knew exactly where tarantino was coming from with some of the bizarre references and gory humor. I do look forward to seeing it again this weekend with another group, and hopefully the violence will be less abrasive to me.

 

[David_SG]

Absolutely loved this film. If it wasn't for a little fantasy flick coming out in mid-December, this would easily wind up being my favorite of the year. And I think the split was perfect - I could have easily sat through another 2 hours, but this was an incredibly satisfying film in its own right.

 

[Robert Crawford]

First off, no spoilers are necessary in the discussion thread.

David Fisher,
If you didn't like her staying in the pussy wagon for 13 hours then how can you accept her fighting off 88 assassins or using that same vehicle at least several weeks later when driving to and from the house of the second person on her list of assassins to kill? This film is pure fantasy fun while having such plot holes as 13 hours in a murdered person's car or an assassin being called on her cell phone just a couple of seconds before killing the protagonist is no biggie to overlook in my opinion since reality isn't part of the equation in your enjoyment of this film anyhow.




Crawdaddy

 

[Robert Crawford]

Question! Does anybody know the name of the piece of music that was played when Lucy Liu and her entourage were walking through the nightclub before the final battle?





Crawdaddy

 

[Scott Weinberg]

Robert,

If you mean the same music used in the trailer, it's called "Battle Without Honor or Humanity" by Hotei Tomoyasu and that (phenomenal, IMO) track is indeed on the soundtrack CD.